Members Kevin B. Posted August 13, 2011 Members Posted August 13, 2011 Looking for some spots to take out the new fishing kayak that are within a couple hours of Joplin and was curious about Stockton Lake. I've never been to Stockton Lake and am looking for some areas that might offer some good opportunities. Any suggestions from those that are familiar with the lake? Thanks in advance. Kevin "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -- Mark Twain "Twenty years goes by quicker than you'd think." -- Me
TroutRinger Posted August 13, 2011 Posted August 13, 2011 I'd stick to rivers especially if you are thinking about Stockton. The wind blows up some nasty waves there. Capsizes big fishing boats every year. You should look into the Neosho, Spring, and Elk Rivers. There are others. Guys help me out. "Of all the liars among mankind, the fisherman is the most trustworthy." "There's a fine line between fishing and standing on the shore like an idiot."
Members Kevin B. Posted August 13, 2011 Author Members Posted August 13, 2011 Point taken on the safety issue...one of the reasons I wanted to ask before heading out. I've been to the Elk and will be back (although I dread heading there on a weekend). One of the things I was looking for from the lake perspective is trying to make it easier to do a point A to point A trip and avoid having to try to arrange a shuttle. Thanks for the response and the suggestions. I'd stick to rivers especially if you are thinking about Stockton. The wind blows up some nasty waves there. Capsizes big fishing boats every year. You should look into the Neosho, Spring, and Elk Rivers. There are others. Guys help me out. "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -- Mark Twain "Twenty years goes by quicker than you'd think." -- Me
TroutRinger Posted August 13, 2011 Posted August 13, 2011 I have the same issue with the shuttling situation in that I don't have any real options. What I do is paddle upstream for a while. Maybe an hour or so, stopping at the good hole along the way. Then float back downstream and fish hard. I don't know any good lakes around you, but there are always dozens of those small, overlooked lakes within an hour of anywhere in Missouri. "Of all the liars among mankind, the fisherman is the most trustworthy." "There's a fine line between fishing and standing on the shore like an idiot."
dennis boatman Posted August 13, 2011 Posted August 13, 2011 On the East end of the Hwy. 215 bridge, and on the north side of the road is a great place to kayak...protected and some good fishing at times...seldom fished by boat fisherman...I've caught some nice smallmouth in this cove...good luck... A strike indicator is just a bobber...
straw hat Posted August 14, 2011 Posted August 14, 2011 First of all I would like to reiterate the safety issue. Also in the mid-lake all the way to the dam you have a lot of pleasure boaters, pwc and etc who may or may not like kayaks depending on what they have been drinking. On the plus side I have seen a lot of kayak fisherman around CC (known as Greenfield Access) which is where CC crosses Stockton just east of Greenfield about 5 or 6 miles. I would also rrecommend putting in just off of 39 highway about 7 or 8 miles north of greenfield where the road crosses the lake(this is the Son'd creek arm). Both of these areas can be great fishing for crappie, bass and walleye under the right conditions. Both areas are also smaller water and don't see the waves that the main lake can generate. Good luck and be sure to let us know how you do.
Members walleye hunter Posted August 14, 2011 Members Posted August 14, 2011 One of my favorite things to do on Stockton is kayaking (the sit on top kind, NOT the sit inside kind) when the water is full of white caps. I like to start on the upwind side, usually Cedar Ridge in the summer, and let the wind take me across the lake, usually to Masters. (the wife picks me up) It's not for the faint of heart and a life jacket, of course is a must. One must be proficient at getting back on the kayak, you will get dumped. I wouldn't do it with anything I couldn't lose (fishing pole). Going into the wind is a challenge, but it can be done. Nothing like 3 foot swells breaking over the kayak.
Members Kevin B. Posted August 14, 2011 Author Members Posted August 14, 2011 I think THAT might be a little too adventuresome for the moment. I'm debating between heading up to Stockton tomorrow to check out some of the spots mentioned by Straw Hat and Dennis or heading down to the Elk and doing some upstream paddling. One of my favorite things to do on Stockton is kayaking (the sit on top kind, NOT the sit inside kind) when the water is full of white caps. I like to start on the upwind side, usually Cedar Ridge in the summer, and let the wind take me across the lake, usually to Masters. (the wife picks me up) It's not for the faint of heart and a life jacket, of course is a must. One must be proficient at getting back on the kayak, you will get dumped. I wouldn't do it with anything I couldn't lose (fishing pole). Going into the wind is a challenge, but it can be done. Nothing like 3 foot swells breaking over the kayak. "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -- Mark Twain "Twenty years goes by quicker than you'd think." -- Me
waterpossum Posted August 15, 2011 Posted August 15, 2011 This might be a little far for you, but I would definitely take the kayak to the Buffalo River in Arkansas. I was raised down in that country and floated it often as a boy. The scenery is beyond compare and the water cool and clean. The lower end around Yellville, Arkansas will have enough water in late summer, so you wont have to drag the shoals. Weekdays are the best to avoid the weekend traffic. I believe the canoe rental places will take you back to your entry point (usually a small fee)if they are transporting their clients back. Fishing wise take an ultra lite and brown or olive colored maribou jigs and have a lot of fun catching smallmouth bass. You can make an 8 mile or 14 mile float last you a day depending how much you want to swim or fish. Keep in mind when the pick up time is. From Joplin it takes about 3.0-3.5 hrs to get to the river.
straw hat Posted August 15, 2011 Posted August 15, 2011 This might be a little far for you, but I would definitely take the kayak to the Buffalo River in Arkansas. I was raised down in that country and floated it often as a boy. The scenery is beyond compare and the water cool and clean. The lower end around Yellville, Arkansas will have enough water in late summer, so you wont have to drag the shoals. Weekdays are the best to avoid the weekend traffic. I believe the canoe rental places will take you back to your entry point (usually a small fee)if they are transporting their clients back. Fishing wise take an ultra lite and brown or olive colored maribou jigs and have a lot of fun catching smallmouth bass. You can make an 8 mile or 14 mile float last you a day depending how much you want to swim or fish. Keep in mind when the pick up time is. From Joplin it takes about 3.0-3.5 hrs to get to the river. I agree with that waterpossum. Beautiful country and some of the best smallmouth fishing. The last time I floated down there was in '91, just after they started requiring Float Permits. They were $10 apiece then. The system was a mess when they first started. Have things changed any with the permits. How is the canoe traffic. I remember there was a lot of talk about limiting it. I remember sitting on the bank with some family near Jasper and we counted over 100 canoes an hour going through during the afternoon. Crazy!!
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